Africa Cup of Nations: Ranking all 24 qualifiers

One of the most high-profile absentees at the last Nations Cup, Burkina Faso avoided Zambia’s ‘feat’ of missing out twice in a row and progressed as Group B winners.

Conceded just twice during the qualifying campaign, and recent additions of the likes of Bryan Dabo and Lacina Traore enhance a strong team spearheaded by Bertrand Traore of Aston Villa.

Finalists as recently as 2015, but they’ve been on the decline ever since, and are still trying to find their identity under CK Akonnor.

Controversy overshadowed their international break, but four points from South Africa and Sao Tome e Principe bodes well for the Nations Cup.

Underachievers since winning the title in 2015, the Elephants were defeated by Ethiopia earlier in the qualifying campaign, but won their last four games to qualify in style.

Offensively, they have the quality to blow teams away, while the likes of Serge Aurier, Eric Bailly and Willy Boly are among Africa’s most accomplished defenders.

Didn’t break a sweat during qualification, and really turned it on against North African rivals Libya, scoring nine across two games.

In the likes of Wahbi Khazri and Youssef Msakni, they have chiselled veterans who will be desperate to potentially end their international careers with African gold.

Desperate to impress after crashing out ignominiously on home soil, Egypt overcame a slow start to qualification to top Group G with 12 points.

They were particularly brutal in their 4-0 evisceration of the Comoros in their final group game, and in Mohamed Salah, they have a genuine game-changer.

Still not entirely convincing under Gernot Rohr, but the Super Eagles could be contenders to better their third-placed finish in 2019.

They are experienced, have options across the park, and some quality goalscoring options.

Will they be more than the sum of their parts?

The reigning champions have elite offensive options—the kind of quality that can outgun any of their rivals—and they boast strength in depth.

The experience of winning in 2019 will serve them well, but will too many key elements of the side be over the hill come next year?

Still not convincing everyone, but Morocco have an awesome collection of talents, with defensive solidity, options in attack and the creative genius of Hakim Ziyech and Adel Taarabt.

Currently ranked 20th in the world, Senegal will be gunning for their first title in Cameroon and—inspired by Sadio Mane—they might just do it.